SAINT LEO, FL – The D'Youville University women's basketball team closed out their trip to Florida with a 65-54 victory over Saint Leo University on Saturday.
 
After scoring a season-high 23 points on Friday, Anna Jankovic (Averill Park, N.Y.) wasted no time setting a new season-high, dropping 24 points against the Lions. Jankovic made a strong defensive impact as well, tallying six rebounds and three steals. Jaelyn Vleer-Elliott (Waterville, N.Y.) added ten points and six rebounds for the Saints, and Stella Mollica (Shillington, Pa.) contributed three steals and a team-high six assists.
 
The Saints got off to a hot start, with Mollica and Isabella Kostyal-Larrier (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) both sinking three-pointers to take an early 6-2 lead. A 7-0 run extended DYU's lead to 13-4 with 6:10 remaining in the first quarter. A three-pointer from Sofie Fuglsang (Oberanven, Luxembourg) made it a 19-11 advantage for D'Youville with 2:40 to go in the quarter. Jankovic would score five straight points to stretch the Saints' lead to 24-13 heading into the second quarter.
 
Layups from Vleer-Elliott and Mercy Lasu (Winnipeg, Canada) extended the Saints' lead to 15 early in the second quarter. After an 8-2 run from the Lions cut the lead to nine, Jankovic and Fuglsang buried a pair of three-pointers to head into halftime with a 38-23 advantage.
 
Vleer-Elliott gave the Saints their biggest lead of the day with a layup to start the third quarter, making it a 17-point advantage for DYU. An ensuing 10-0 run from Saint Leo cut the lead to 40-33 with 3:51 left in the third quarter. Jankovic put a stop to the run with a steal and a layup, and D'Youville went into the fourth quarter with a 46-37 lead.
 
Saint Leo scored five straight points to start the final frame and draw within four points of DYU. Morgan Giancaterino (Orchard Park, N.Y.) dropped in a three-pointer to halt the Lions' momentum and put the Saints up seven with six minutes to play. DYU took care of business at the free-throw line, as Brianne Moxley (Penfield, N.Y.) sank three free throws to put the Saints up by ten with 1:21 left in regulation. Jankovic hit the dagger with 24 seconds left, putting DYU up by 12 with a three-pointer.
 
The Saints will head home to host the College of Saint Rose at College Center Gym on December 30^th at 1:00 p.m.